One And One
by monkey-in-hell
Summary: The groom's shined his shoes, cleaned his fingernails and brushed his teeth. There's just one thing left for Shaz to sort out...
1. Chapter 1

A/N Just a little something to try and atone for the darkness of 'End Refrain'; hopefully this is a bit lighter though possibly a bit OOC, too.

One And One

Chapter One

She'd been trying to ignore it, she really had, but her eyebrows shot up in surprise at the sentence that had just assaulted her ears. She'd never heard anyone be called that particular phrase before; in fact, she wasn't entirely sure what it meant but, given the tone it had been unleashed with, she knew that it certainly wasn't much of a compliment. Actually, given the person who'd uttered those words, and the individual at whom they'd been aimed, a compliment would be the last thing it could possibly be these days. A small, rueful smile graced her lips as a memory of better times infiltrated her thoughts, whisking her away to the not so distant past when Fenchurch East CID had been a more pleasant - as far as police stations went - place to work. She dwelt there briefly until the argument peaked again and drowned out her nostalgia. A small sigh escaping her lips, she quietly hoped that it wouldn't go on any longer and she wasn't just thinking of this latest spat; the pointless arguing over every little detail and the bitter sniping, only broken by the long cold silences, all combined to coat the office with a thick layer of tension they could all do without. Well, herself at least.

Shaz glanced around the office, searching for some kind of sign from her colleagues that they agreed with her appraisal but all she found was silence. Everyone else was ignoring the blazing row coming from the Guv's office or trying their best to, anyway. Not even Chris was willing to make eye contact with her, most likely because he knew that she'd want to do something about it and would try to enlist his help. It annoyed her, almost as much as the arguing itself, how the others were all so blase about their superior officers kicking off at the drop of a truncheon. They didn't seem to realise, or care about, where it was heading: it was becoming familiar now, evidenced by the rest of CID's responses, and if someone didn't do something soon it would gradually slide into expected, into normality.

She glared fiercely, though ineffectively, at her fiance. They had discussed the situation several times before but Chris was of the opinion that it'd all work its way out eventually and to leave well alone. He might have had a point; getting involved wasn't going to do him any favours as the Guv was still breathing down his neck over his little 'lapse', making him the last person the Guv'd listen to. And Shaz knew, deep down, that neither of their superiors was likely to listen to her or Chris, or anyone else on the team, anyway. That's why, despite her concerns, she'd kept quiet so far, too. But quietly hoping and praying wasn't working and with the wedding drawing ever nearer the frosty atmosphere that followed Hunt and Drake wherever they went had the potential to ruin her big day. 'Their' big day, she corrected herself quickly, guiltily looking away from Chris at that thought though he was far too busy ignoring her to notice.

Briefly checking the letter she was supposed to be typing she attempted to continue with the task in hand, trying not to think about what might happen on her special day or what was currently occurring. It was impossible though and she quickly descended into banging unnecessarily hard on each and every key as the argument continued and her concern - it definitely was not selfishness on her part though surely she was allowed to be in these circumstances? - rose once more. It was almost therapeutic, pounding away on the keys, but she struggled to make herself heard over the din that was still emanating from the office behind her. She glanced Chris' way once more, uncaring that she was likely to be making errors with the letter, and willed him to take notice. Eventually, after further abuse that her typewriter might never recover from, her husband to be took the hint and looked her way, her hopes rising with the action. She couldn't do anything by herself but if they all worked together, like the team they were supposed to be, maybe they could do something. Disappointingly Chris only offered her a weak smile in response.

"Sounds like they're really going for it this time," Chris said quietly, as if the subjects of his comment could somehow hear him or were even interested in anything other than themselves right then.

"No change there," Ray groused, casually turning a page of his paper over.

Her gaze lowered in silent defeat to the paper in front of her. Ray's statement wasn't strictly true, though. Yes, the last few weeks had followed much the same pattern as today but it hadn't always been that way. DI Drake and the Guv had always argued with each other, right from the moment the Inspector had transferred to Fenchurch East and had told the Guv, after barely five minutes, that he was completely wrong about the drugs bust they'd all been working on for months. But it had never been like this. In fact, things had actually improved between their DCI and DI before they'd turned sour. There'd been a kind of calm before the storm when the Guv and DI Drake had been working together in complete secrecy to expose Superintendent Macintosh and she hadn't been the only one to notice. She'd rebuked Chris and Ray at the time for their crass comments but she'd also started to wonder if there was something more going on than friendship. Sometimes, when she'd watched them in the quiet of an interview room or a dark corner of Luigi's, she'd almost believed there was. Then the gold bullion heist had driven its armoured truck between them.

The argument the night before the blag, with the two of them at odds like never before, had been the start of it and also a sign of things to come. What made it worse was that, as far as she could work out, it had all been over a misunderstanding - not that either party was particularly forthcoming on the subject. For some, still unclear, reason the Guv had thought that DI Drake had been involved in the blag so had promptly suspended her. With Chris having found himself caught up in it so easily she assumed that the Guv had just been on edge, had started seeing betrayal in every little detail, but Shaz hadn't believed it for a second. Nobody had really; to her surprise not even Ray had truly believed that DI Drake could be corrupt. Of course the Inspector hadn't been involved, had only been as intent as everyone else on stopping the blag. What should have happened on the day of the heist was a dozen or so arrests and about as many 'I told you sos' from Inspector Drake. Unfortunately what happened was the Guv shot DI Drake.

It hadn't been intentional, DI Drake had cleared up that matter as soon as she'd regained consciousness but not everything had been corrected so easily. She glanced briefly over her shoulder but could only make out two animated shadows through the shield of blinds. It was going on longer than usual and she looked over to the other side of the room again, this time searching for an explanation. The distinct lack of activity after the morning's jaunt pointed towards the source of today's argument - not that either of them really needed an excuse to disagree these days. Any little thing would do as long as it gave one of them the excuse to have a go at the other. "What happened today?" she asked, her fiance quickly glancing her way.

"Nothing," Chris answered after a moment's thought. "Campbell wasn't even there."

"And that was the problem," Ray muttered without even looking up from his newspaper. "Drake was adamant he would be."

The door to the Guv's office flew open at that moment, banging into the inner wall with force. "And do you know what the worst thing is, Gene bloody Hunt?" DI Drake snarled as she paused in the doorway. "I had what I wanted and I gave it up for..." the Inspector waved her arms frantically around herself, the Guv and then the office, as if doing so could help in her search for the right words. "For this. I don't know what I was thinking!" With that she turned on her heel and walked down the centre of CID, heading for the double doors.

"That makes two of us, then," DCI Hunt hollered after her, the door to his office slamming shut with more force than it had just been opened, seemingly unable to resist the lure of going one better than his DI.

"Ma'am?" Shaz asked as she stood up, an urge to make sure that the older woman was all right shaking her out of the silence that everybody else seemed determined to embrace.

"Not now, Shaz."

She watched the Inspector storm out of the office without so much as a backwards glance before sitting back down in her chair, a small sigh escaping her mouth once more and feeling immeasurably sad for the other woman. As troubled by DI Drake's crumbling relationship with the Guv as Shaz was she knew that it was far worse for the Inspector. Accepted convention was that their Inspector was pissed off with their DCI because he'd virtually accused her of being corrupt, had unnecessarily suspended her and had then shot her. Shaz had almost believed it herself because it was a potent mixture but she'd visited the Inspector in hospital the day after she'd made her statement regarding the shooting and at that point DI Drake had seemed so confident that, although they had both said some regrettable things, she and the Guv would be able to work it all out. She hadn't been able to redress the discrepancy between that assertion and the arguing that had followed until just the other week when, over a bottle or two of wine in the privacy of DI Drake's flat, the older woman had let slip, as tears had rolled down her cheeks, that the Guv had distanced himself from her. And that he'd never once apologised for not trusting her, or for shooting her, or for some other discretion that Shaz hadn't quite understood as an inebriated and emotionally exhausted Alex Drake had passed out on the sofa halfway through.

Noticing the rude words in the middle of her letter, Shaz tore the paper out of her typewriter, crumpled it up into a ball and prepared to start again. She had wanted to tell DI Drake her own thoughts on the matter that night but hadn't dared, not that the other woman would have been sober enough to comprehend; now she just didn't dare because the Inspector was either pretending the night hadn't happened or genuinely didn't remember breaking down in front of her. It was only supposition on her part but it seemed obvious, given the way the Guv would react whenever DI Drake, usually in the middle of an argument, threw the fact that he'd shot her in his face, that it was guilt that had kept him away. He'd had the excuse of being a wanted man before the Inspector had cleared him of any wrongdoing for staying away but he hadn't went anywhere near her after that either. She'd kept hinting to him, offering not to go to the hospital if he wanted to but he'd always come up with some reason not to before giving her his patented 'end of discussion' pout. Maybe he'd intended to make amends when the Inspector had fully recovered, maybe he thought he wouldn't have to; either way, by the time DI Drake had returned to work it was too late. It seemed quite clear now that she'd taken his absence as a sign that he didn't care and had promptly laid into him at the first opportunity; his retaliation to the attack had been the only certainty after that. Now they were both too far down the road to see the signs they'd previously ignored. Both hopelessly lost.

As both parties were as stubborn as each other this uncomfortable status seemed doomed to continue which was such a shame because it seemed to her that it could be prevented from going any further with just a bit of effort and some honesty - from both of them. And she might be more hopeless romantic than new romantic lately but she still thought that there was more to their relationship than appeared; they couldn't possibly be so angry if they didn't actually care about one another. There was a fine line between love and hate - she'd heard that on the television once and she was sure it was relevant in this instance.

Chris rose slowly from his own seat and carefully walked across the office towards Shaz, so as not to incur the lion's wrath. "We could change the seating plan?" he offered - rather perceptively - as he leant over her shoulder, neglecting to mention that when he said 'we' he really meant her.

Shaz frowned at his words; she'd already changed the plan several times and its perfection had been just about reached when the Guv and DI Drake had decided not to get along. The two of them hadn't spent time together outside of work since the night the Guv had brought that woman to Luigi's and that had been a bit uncomfortable all round. Since then the Inspector had remained in her flat most nights, presumably drinking alone; she needn't have bothered as the Guv had found somewhere else to drink, too. Both resolutely avoiding the other and now she was going to seat them together for an afternoon. She had visions of food fights, her family cowering under the tables and - if Ray really wasn't winding her up - Chris' family merrily joining in. If she didn't do something the police would end up being called out to her wedding rather than being invited to it.

Originally she'd had them seated together because of that suspicion about their relationship and because neither had asked to bring a guest; she'd hung on to that plan, hoping that they would work things out before the wedding. She couldn't just uninvite them. In her head she could picture the hall, where each of the tables would be, the smiling faces of the people seated there and she tried to imagine how she could place Hunt and Drake as far away from each other as possible without upsetting the already delicate balance she'd achieved. Neither had changed their mind and asked to bring a guest which on the one hand was a good sign that she might just be right about the two of them, with the added bonus that one of them wouldn't be even more pissed off with the other on the day, but on the other hand it didn't help with the reshuffling.

She sighed for a third time because it was pointless anyway - she wouldn't be able to keep them apart the entire time. It could still blow up at some point. But it was more than that; she would be unhappy if her wedding day was marred by their behaviour but they would still be miserable, too and that would make her unhappier. Someone really needed to make them sit down and talk things out. Someone braver than her. Her frown slowly evened out. "We could change the seating plan," she agreed, an idea forming in her head.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Thanks for all the great reviews for the first chapter. Got a bit distracted there for a while - sorry - but here's chapter two.

One And One

Chapter Two

Holding on to her husband's hand, her gaze wandered appreciatively around the large room: it was all exactly as she'd planned and just perfect. The ceremony had been just about perfect, too. Her father had proudly walked her down the aisle of the packed church she'd attended regularly as a child, his strong and steady gait belying the tender words he had whispered to her in the car. Her father wasn't the kind of man to show his emotions so readily but he'd almost had her in tears with his 'little talk'. Already running late thanks to a missing bridesmaid, who'd eventually been found fast asleep behind the sofa and oblivious to all the fuss she'd caused, she'd added on a few minutes to that tally dabbing at her eyes before entering the church and meeting her fiance for the last time.

Chris had looked so handsome in his suit, his promise to scrub up for the day met with full marks, and he'd also looked very relieved to see her. He needn't have worried so much; she may have had a little wobble when she'd found out what he'd done to buy her engagement ring but she wanted nothing more than to be his wife. He'd nervously - and rather endearingly, she thought - stumbled over his vows but his love for her had been just as obvious in his eyes, and in his smile, as in the words he had recited. No-one had spoken up at the appropriate moment, not even Ray who she had feared just might as some sort of 'joke'. The Sergeant had surprised her with the seriousness he had applied to his Best Man duties; she'd had reservations about the stag night taking place the day before the wedding but Ray had made sure Chris was there in one piece. And then after they'd said 'I do' there'd only been the smiling faces of the people they held dearest to them from the pews as they'd made their way down the aisle together as husband and wife.

She glanced down at her free hand, at the gold band that was now nestled against the engagement ring on her finger; she was finally Mrs Skelton, with only the reception, and then the night do, standing in the way of a more intimate expression of their union. She smiled to herself at that thought; the entire morning had been a whirlwind of preparation, nerves and excitement, and it was only now, now that they were wed, that the photos had been taken and they were at the reception, that she felt she could finally slow down, could finally take a breath and relax just a little.

"I thought you were changing the seating plan?" Chris asked as he watched Alex Drake slowly make her way across the floor.

Looking up from her hand she followed Chris' worried gaze to find DI Drake walking towards one of the rectangular tables at the other end of the hall where the Guv, drink in hand, had already taken his seat. Her happy thoughts took a low hit as the Inspector neared her destination and she remembered the one dark cloud that was threatening her happy, sunny day. Their behaviour in church hadn't worried her too much; neither seemed to be particularly religious but she'd assumed that, despite everything, both of her superior officers would have enough respect for the church to contain themselves. She wasn't sure if she'd been correct about that assumption or not because they'd arrived separately and had then sat, rather poetically, on opposite sides of the church. Either way, the service had remained uninterrupted, the only 'hitch' being the one between herself and Chris. It remained to be seen if the same would be able to be said about the rest of the day.

"I did," she replied, giving Chris' hand a quick squeeze as she continued to watch the proceedings closely; there was no-one else seated at the table yet and the thought of the two of them without a referee to hand worried her further. She hadn't lied to her new husband, she really had changed the seating arrangements. Her cousin Matt and his wife were supposed to have been sitting next to the Guv and DI Drake; they were a nice enough couple but they wouldn't stop any argument that flared up and the more she thought about, the more she thought it likely that they'd join in instead. It hadn't even been a consideration before the heist but with no sign of improvement between her superior officers it seemed prudent to make the switch, in the process allowing her to make room for the two people she knew would be brave enough to step in if required to.

Her husband glanced curiously at her and she offered him a reassuring smile in response. The smile faded however as she returned her gaze to the Guv and DI Drake and found herself wondering if this really was a good idea and exactly why she had insisted upon a sit down meal; there were far too many sharp implements lying around and a food fight now seemed the least of her worries. Chris' hand squeezed hers in return, and in anticipation, as the Inspector finally reached the table. As DI Drake pulled out her chair, Shaz tried to convince herself that maybe she was underestimating them both; they'd been fine at the church, after all and they knew how important today was to her - she'd made that clear to the whole station. And it wasn't as if she'd dumped this on them at the last minute; they'd known about the seating plan for long enough. When she had tactfully reminded them, had given them the opportunity to say something before she put her plan into action because she was aware that she might be completely wrong about them and that meddling might just make things worse, they had both reacted in the same manner: as if it didn't matter to them who they sat next to. She'd been so relieved by their responses that she'd almost, sort of, believed them. But watching DI Drake coolly take her seat, opposite the Guv yet ignoring him completely, Shaz sighed quietly to herself, her brief optimism gone.

"You look absolutely beautiful, dear," a voice said lovingly.

Shaz tore her gaze from the frosty atmosphere of her superior officers and towards the warmth of her Great Aunt Elizabeth. "Thank-you," she greeted happily, and with just a tinge of relief, as she relinquished Chris' hand to lean forward and kiss the old lady on the cheek, following it up with a quick embrace. She repeated the action with Elizabeth's sister, Alice, a sense of calm slowly returning at the sight of both her aunts. Despite their appearances, and the presence of a few of the Met's finest, her aunts were actually the bravest people at the wedding. With less than a year in age between the sisters they had gone through life's travails together: through school, through work, through the three marriages they had between them, and then into retirement. 'A couple of old widows' Chris had labelled them though not unkindly; they were far more than that but Shaz hadn't bothered to enlighten him and she watched on in amusement as both of her aunts proceeded to pounce on her husband, congratulating him with more fervour than they had her.

When Chris had been satisfactorily welcomed to the family, this time officially - because it wasn't the first time they'd grabbed him and they'd managed to restrain themselves somewhat back at the church - Alice turned her attention back to Shaz. "Sorry we took so long, Sharon - Elizabeth made a wrong turn."

"And Alice read the directions wrong," Elizabeth defended, any affront to her driving skills always met with fierce indignation whether it was warranted or not. Usually it was warranted and Shaz was thankful that, like most of her guests, her aunts were going to stay overnight as the hotel was out in the countryside; driving at night, and on winding country lanes, would have only heightened the experience - and the danger.

The sisters eyed each other for a moment but the disagreement fizzled out before it could really begin. "Are they already here?" Alice asked, the gleam in the old lady's eye a familiar sight to Shaz.

Still recovering from his ordeal Chris obviously heard the question because he looked curiously at her aunts and then at herself. Rather than explain herself just yet, Shaz just smiled at him again. "They certainly are. Come on, I'll introduce you," she replied happily, taking Alice by the arm and escorting her across the hall towards the Guv and DI Drake, with Chris following her lead after a prompting elbow from Elizabeth. Even in the hubbub that was growing as the hall slowly began to fill with guests she could hear their targets bickering already.

"I'm just surprised that you couldn't find some blonde tart who was willing to throw herself at you for a day out of the cells," DI Drake sniped.

The Guv slammed his pint glass down on the table and Shaz silently grumbled her discontent as some of its contents slopped out onto the table cloth, trying not to imagine how much worse it could get. "If I wanted some bloody woman- "

"Guv, DI Drake," Shaz interrupted quickly before the Guv had the chance to elucidate and possibly turn the air blue. Both of them slowly tore their gazes away from each other and looked her way, the Inspector with a far too bright smile on her lips and the Guv wearing a strong pout. It wasn't the best of starts and she briefly wondered once more about her plans. But the alternative was to leave them to their own devices and the whole of CID knew how that would pan out - they'd had regular demonstrations.

"These are my Great Aunts: Alice and Elizabeth. They'll be sitting here with you," she persevered. She wasn't brave enough to introduce her superior officers as Gene and Alex; it seemed wrong somehow, even under the current circumstances but also a little pointless as her aunts already knew exactly who their new acquaintances were. It had been Alice and Elizabeth that she'd turned to when Chris' dodgy loan, and its fall out, had first surfaced; they were great listeners and she wasn't sure she'd have made it down the aisle without their advice. And when she'd approached her aunts for help with today they'd responded just as she'd hoped they would: with interest, with assurance and with agreement. Knowing they were fully on board had allowed her to devote her time and energy to matters other than the Guv and DI Drake, whose behaviour had showed no signs of improvement.

Both the Guv and DI Drake responded politely to the introduction, the Guv even rising from his seat to help Alice into hers. Chris followed the lead again and saw Elizabeth into her seat and Shaz's hopes rose just a little. Her plan, at its most basic level, was to prevent anything blowing up between the Guv and DI Drake in the middle of the reception and, as she'd hoped, her aunts' presence was already having an impact upon the detectives' behaviour. Not even the Guv would kick off in front of two sweet old ladies out to enjoy their niece's wedding - she hoped - and if he, or the Inspector, tried to then a few well placed words and pointed looks from her aunts would stop it going any further.

"As you're on your feet young man, be a dear and get the drinks in. Sherry for me, Elizabeth likes a vodka and tonic and the young lady will have...?" Alice turned her gaze away from the Guv and looked pointedly at DI Drake.

The Inspector smiled sweetly at Alice in response. "A glass of red," she replied, turning her head upwards slightly so she could grin further at her DCI, evidently enjoying the scene playing out in front of her, especially when the Guv - after a long moment during which time Shaz thought he was going to finish that earlier sentence - ground out a pleasant reply and duly set off in the direction of the bar.

"What a lovely man. Are you two here together?" Elizabeth asked innocently, as if she somehow hadn't heard the bickering as she'd approached. Alice finished her appreciation of a retreating Gene Hunt before leaning across the table just in time to hear the response to her sister's enquiry.

"Me and him?" DI Drake asked, laughing lightly as if it was the most absurd notion she'd ever heard but it dropped off quickly, her smile fading with it. When she spoke again, the two older women watching closely, her voice was much quieter. "No. We're... There's nothing between us."

Taking Chris' hand Shaz quietly led her husband away from the table, leaving DI Drake at the mercy of her two favourite aunts. As much as she would have loved to have been a fly on the wall next to that particular table this was her day and Alice and Elizabeth had agreed to take the problem of her superior officers out of her hands exactly so she could relax and enjoy herself. And she was going to do just that. Her aunts would be gentle with the other woman, would prise what information they could from her - and somehow from the Guv, too - because there was a second part to her plan: to get the Guv and DI Drake to speak to, rather than shout at, each other. It wasn't as vital as keeping them in line, at least as far as today was concerned, and it was infinitely more difficult but she was hoping her aunts would be able to achieve both objectives. They were certainly willing to try though Shaz had agreed to leave anything more than peace keeping to her aunts' discretion.

"Is something going on, Shazza?" Chris asked as he was dragged back across the hall to continue greeting their guests.

"Like what?" Shaz answered distractedly. Her gaze had now fallen on Ray who was stood with his top hat in one hand and one of her best friends from her school days, Karen, in his other. The two of them would be, after much pleading by Chris on Ray's behalf, seated together this afternoon. Karen had certain attributes that drew most of the male population towards her which was, she presumed, why Chris had wanted his best mate sat next to her friend rather than her aunts, who she had originally been intent on using to keep the Sergeant at bay. She'd only agreed to that particular switch because Karen had learnt to deal with that sort of attention from men over the years - and quite effectively, too - so she would certainly give Ray a run for his money.

Chris stopped dead, holding on to his wife's hand so she had to stop as well. He tugged her closer towards him, both of his hands snaking around her waist. "Like putting the Guv and DI Drake together?" he asked.

She smiled widely before leaning up and kissing Chris slowly and tenderly. "That's it exactly," she whispered against his mouth, eliciting another confused expression from her husband. She kissed him again at the sight because this was her wedding day and he was her husband but mostly because she wanted to. Pulling back before they got too carried away right there in the middle of the hall Chris grinned happily at her, his confusion and concern forgotten for the moment, and she was certain that, right then, she was the happiest woman in the whole world. And if her plans, and her aunts, worked out as she hoped, maybe she could spread some of that happiness around.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N Thanks for all the great reviews for chapter two. Later than I'd intended - sorry - but here's chapter three.

One And One

Chapter Three

Shaz hovered quietly in the corridor, spying on the scene as covertly as one could when they were wearing a white frilly dress and had spent the majority of the day being the centre of attention because of it. She hadn't deliberately set out to listen in to the people currently in her sights; well, maybe she had just a little bit but for a legitimate reason. It was the bride's prerogative to make sure her guests were enjoying themselves and whilst she knew that most of them were currently doing just that, the muffled talking and laughter coming from the large lounge area of the hotel where the aforementioned guests had decamped to whilst the hall was being cleared for the disco - the ones who hadn't departed for the day or escaped to their rooms to freshen up, anyway - was proof enough, there were two guests in particular that she feared might vehemently resist such a notion. Two guests who were more likely to throw barbs rather than confetti. And though she'd promised Alice and Elizabeth that she'd leave the problem of the Guv and DI Drake to them she'd wanted to know exactly how well her plans were progressing because, so far, she couldn't quite tell.

All in all the reception had been a success; the meal had been met with approval all round and the speeches had been variously proud (her father), stuttering (her husband; oh, how she was beginning to like that word - both of those words) and downright crude (the best man, of course) making it a memorable day for all who were present and for differing reasons. But, thanks to her aunts, at least her guests wouldn't look back at this day and remember the one thing she had been fearing: an explosion - of either words or food - from her superior officers. As the afternoon had progressed, and with one part of her plan apparently working, she'd found that she had been able to relax and enjoy herself, though her gaze had drifted to a certain table a few times. The sights that had greeted her on those occasions had been mixed: there'd been no angry glares, no forks being jabbed across the table and no third party needing to physically restrain the Guv and DI Drake - unfortunately, there'd been no sign of conversation between them either, no indication that the other part of her plan was being put into place. For a brief moment, when DI Drake had abruptly stood up - the movement catching Shaz's eye - and walked away from the table, Shaz'd thought that it had all gone horribly wrong; the Inspector, however, had only paid a visit to the ladies, during which time Alice and Elizabeth had rounded on the Guv - though he had remained stony faced throughout their interrogation.

She'd lost track of both of her superior officers, and her aunts, in the aftermath of the reception when she'd been swallowed up with congratulations and well-wishes and caught between hellos and goodbyes. Eventually finding herself in the lounge along with most of her guests she'd finally spotted the Guv and just in time to see him sloping off in the direction of the small bar that was attached to the hall, Aunt Alice following in his wake. Abandoning her husband, with a parting request that he make sure Ray didn't come looking for the Guv, she'd followed them to the bar hoping that all wasn't lost.

Stepping forward slightly she had a clearer view of Alice but she could only see the back of the Guv's head; he was facing her aunt, listening to whatever Alice was saying. Unable to quite make out what her aunt was saying she risked inching further forward and as the Guv began to respond she ignored the good manners her parents had instilled upon her and listened in.

"No, you're wrong. She hates me."

Alice shook her head, a smile gracing her lips. "That's not what she said."

The Guv turned away from Alice and Shaz held onto her breath; she could now see his profile so there was a very good chance that he would see her too and she didn't want to get caught - or hinder Alice in any way. She exhaled softly when he didn't look any further than the bar in front of him, more concerned with blowing out a plume of smoke. "Oh?" the Guv asked casually.

"Yes," Alice confirmed, leaning in just a little towards the Guv, who had now turned his attention back to her. "She told me that you two used to be very close. That she wished you still were." Shaz wasn't sure if her aunt's statement was true or not; she suspected it wasn't because the Inspector hadn't seemed drunk enough to confess to anything but she continued to observe in silence as, like she'd seen the Inspector do with suspects in the interview room, Alice waited for a reaction from DCI Hunt before proceeding any further.

"She certainly doesn't act like she does," the Guv answered, another stream of smoke accompanying his words and his gaze falling back onto the bar in a dismissive manner.

"Because she thinks you don't want the same thing any more," Alice explained calmly. "But you do, don't you?"

Shaz held her tongue rather than her breath that time. There was no way on this Earth that anyone else would get away with asking the Guv such a question. The way things had been lately she certainly had no intention of ever being so blunt with the Guv, and never before either, but her aunt held no such fears or reservations. She didn't know if it was something that came with age or something that was merely permitted because of it - or even if it was just the way both of her aunts were - but it was something that she'd always admired. Even so, the Guv had yet to reply and she wondered if Aunt Alice had finally met her match. She was on the verge of giving her position away and rescuing the old lady when the Guv finally succumbed to her aunt's questioning.

"I did something... I did some things."

"I know," Alice agreed quietly, nodding her head slightly to confirm her statement when the Guv turned to her once more; Shaz could only imagine the questions that must have been in his eyes, the anger that must have been on his face, at the thought that a relative stranger knew about such things. It would take mere seconds for him to put two and two together and Shaz would probably spend the next year making endless cups of tea to make up for it but, she reasoned quietly with her fingers crossed behind her back, it'd all be worth it if she could, with her aunts' assistance, put one and one together. "Apologise to her," Alice said in a tone that sounded like an order.

The Guv stared at Alice for long moment before his gaze gradually dropped away again and Shaz - though thrilled by her aunt's forthrightness - briefly wondered if her aunt had finally crossed a line with him. DCI Hunt continued to ignore her aunt, slowly stubbing out his cigarette and then finishing off the last of his pint before responding. "Not as easy as that," he replied defensively.

"No, it's hard. The best things always are. She'll forgive you," Alice pushed once more but the Guv remained silent once more. "Let me buy you something a little stronger," she offered softly.

"Look, Alice. I'm not going to-"

"For courage," the old lady interrupted, determined to stop him from voicing any further protestations. "And then when she's forgiven you, maybe you can start to forgive yourself."

Shaz stepped backwards at the sharpness of her aunt's words, turning her gaze away as she did so and suddenly noticing the waitress who was stood down the other end of the corridor. The girl looked at her and then towards the bar, forcing Shaz to wave her hands frantically at the younger woman in denial and reluctantly move away. She slowly headed towards the lounge in further support of the idea that she hadn't really been eavesdropping. Thankfully the waitress followed her without a word but Shaz quietly cursed the interruption, glancing backwards and listening out for the Guv's, now horribly familiar, growl. She suspected that just as the Guv's guilt had kept him away from the Inspector it was also responsible for his anger; an anger that he was willing, unfortunately, to share with everyone else. Everyone it seemed except, judging by the distinct lack of yelling coming from the bar area, her aunt.

Turning her attention back to the lounge, convincing herself that Alice was currently placing a whiskey in the Guv's hand and cajoling him further, Shaz managed to greet the ensuing well wishers that came up to her with a smile. CID had now arrived en masse and looked to be in good spirits, ready for a night of drinking and celebrating - the change of scenery no deterrent to the usual routine - and she welcomed each of them. Eventually Chris made his way towards her, a soppy smile on his face and a glass of some strange concoction in his hand, the latter causing her smile to fade a little. "Go easy on the drinks, Chris."

"Why?"

"Because I have something very special planned for tonight and I don't want you letting me down."

Chris looked puzzled for far longer than he should have before finally managing a quick, 'Oh' and swiftly depositing his glass down on the nearest table. "Wilko that," he smiled.

Leaning in for a quick kiss a whoop of cheers rose up in response, courtesy of CID. She turned and smiled good-naturedly at her audience until she spotted Ray sat in the corner, his attention solely on Karen and oblivious to what was going on. And Karen seemed to be enjoying herself, too. Her husband followed her gaze before turning back to her and opening his mouth to say something. "Have you seen DI Drake?" Shaz asked, cutting him off before he could even begin and cutting out thoughts of Ray and Karen. She'd find out what was going on with those two later because there was another relationship that was of more concern to her. If Alice was busy trying to convince the Guv to talk to DI Drake then Elizabeth had to be doing something similar with the Inspector and Shaz wanted to know if her other aunt was having more success.

Chris closed his mouth for a second in thought. "Think she's still outside with Elizabeth. Your aunt said she needed some air and asked the Boss if she'd go with her. I offered but she wanted DI Drake..." Chris trailed off mid sentence, a look of suspicion not quite crossing his face as he gazed at Shaz.

"Thanks, lover," Shaz smiled, kissing him again. She couldn't kiss away his curiosity this time but she wasn't ready to elaborate any further just yet either. It was partly stubbornness and partly hesitancy that had kept her silent on the matter; Chris hadn't wanted to get involved with the Guv and DI Drake in the first place and for all of his apparent concern about today he had left her to re-arrange the table seating - so why should she tell him what she and her aunts were up to? Especially if it didn't work out as planned because she could just imagine the, albeit gently bestowed, 'told you so' he'd offer her at that point. "I won't be long," she explained, without really explaining anything and left him standing there in the middle of the lounge as she took a sharp left and headed outside.

"He doesn't care about me."

Shaz heard the familiar voice of DI Drake floating towards her as she neared the large doors that led outside and she slowed her steps in response, hovering in the entrance to the hotel. It was dark outside but peeping around the corner she could clearly see her aunt and the Inspector sat in front of the hotel. They were perched on a picnic bench, facing the building and the lights from the hotel illuminated them both. She wondered if Elizabeth had chosen that particular spot for the view it afforded - or if it was just a coincidence - because from their angle she knew, from her previous visits to the hotel during the run up to the wedding, that the two of them would be able to see right through the hall and into the bar where the Guv and Alice were sat.

"I really thought that he did. I really thought..." The Inspector's voice faded off into the cool early evening breeze, the sentiment unfinished.

"But he does care about you," Elizabeth consoled, causing the younger woman shake her head in denial. "He practically told me as much and I could see it in the way he looked at you, too. The way his eyes followed you when you made your way out of the hall." Again, Shaz doubted the veracity of her - other, this time - aunt's words; the Guv was even less likely than DI Drake to admit to anything even if, as she suspected - and her aunts must have, too - the sentiments were true.

DI Drake seemed to agree with part of that assessment as she shook her head again before looking away. "He was probably watching my arse," she said softly, though not entirely dismissively.

Elizabeth smiled her agreement, "Maybe." The old lady bent forwards a little so to better catch the Inspector's eyes but DI Drake continued to stare at the ground. "You're a smart woman. The only female Detective Inspector in the Met, Sharon told me. So you must have considered the fact that, after everything that's happened, he thinks he doesn't deserve you."

There was a long pause before DI Drake responded, time enough for Shaz to wonder if the Inspector had ever given much thought to Elizabeth's suggestion. "Maybe he doesn't."

"You don't really believe that, do you?"

"Yes, I..." the Inspector started firmly, her head shooting up defiantly, her eyes staring straight ahead into the hotel, and her words petering out. "I don't know," she admitted eventually, her gaze still fixed inside the hotel and her tone somewhat softer. "Did he tell you that?" she asked finally, her head turning back to Elizabeth. "That he thinks he doesn't deserve me?"

Elizabeth smiled warmly. "It's the truth," she said, side stepping the answer.

"Mmm. It might just be true," DI Drake conceded. "But I doubt he told you any of that. Gene Hunt doesn't let anybody in, not even you and Alice - as lovely as you both are," the Inspector said softly, taking hold of Elizabeth's hand and squeezing it gently as if to signify that she both understood what the other lady had been trying to achieve and that she bore her no grudge because of it. "I doubt he ever will," the younger woman added on sadly before abruptly rising from the bench.

Shaz quickly stepped backwards at the movement, turning on the heel of one of her beautiful, but increasingly uncomfortable, shoes. Hurriedly she made her way back into the hotel, a dark cloud threatening to follow her inside and settle on her perfect day. Her aunts' attempt to open up negotiations between the Guv and DI Drake, after 'baby-sitting' her superior officers so effectively, was above and beyond the call of duty - and so much more than Shaz'd ever dared do. It was just, judging by the responses of both her DCI and DI, she wasn't sure that it was going to be enough.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N Thanks for all the reviews for chapter three - you guys are great - and thanks to everyone who has continued reading. Here's the next, and the final, chapter - hope this story has been as light (and as enjoyable) as I'd intended it to be.

A/N 2 'And one and one is one, not two'.

One And One

Chapter Four

Stretching her legs out under the table, Shaz was glad that she'd taken a few minutes to change her shoes earlier in the evening; her Doc Martens weren't exactly the expected attire for a bride but they were, for the most part, concealed by her dress and so much more comfortable than the footwear she'd married in. And they were better for dancing in, too, as her and Chris' first turn on the dance floor had proven. Glancing to her side, she smiled at Chris, who had spun her around the floor many times since then, and he grinned back at her. As much as she'd enjoyed dancing with her husband, and their friends and family, she'd felt herself beginning to tire, the adrenaline and excitement that had seen her through what had been a very long day finally fading away so she'd led Chris off to less demanding pastures - he would need his energy for later on as much as she did.

In the large hall of the hotel most of the tables that had been used for the reception had been relocated to the sides to allow enough space to dance but still provide seating for those who wanted it and from her newly acquired position at one of those tables she watched the few guests who were still dancing with a curious smile. She wasn't sure who had requested the slower song that was currently playing; she suspected that it might have been her mum because she had made a comment about the 'rubbish' the DJ had been playing previously and was now dancing the night away with her father. She watched her parents softly, imagining herself and Chris doing the same at their own daughter's wedding. For a few blissful moments she let those thoughts and conjured up images take her away to the future she knew they were going to have together. Her daydream only escaped her when another couple, who weren't dancing quite as chastely as her parents, strayed into her line of sight and brought her right back to 1983.

The new couple held each other closely as they swayed to the music, her head on his shoulder, his arms slung around her waist as if they should have always been there. The sight of the two of them together was somewhat of a surprise to her; she'd hoped for a satisfactory outcome where they were concerned but she'd had no idea that they would get on that well today - quite the opposite, in fact. It was just a shame, she thought a little begrudgingly, that it was Ray and Karen who were dancing so closely and not her superior officers. She quickly chided herself for that assessment; apparently, or so Karen had told her because she couldn't quite see - or understand - it herself, there was 'just something about Ray's eyes'. And the Sergeant seemed quite taken with Karen, too.

Sighing under her breath, though with the music it wasn't really necessary, she tried to console herself with the thought that she'd been able to spread a little bit of happiness around even if it hadn't hit the intended target. She'd managed to liaise with her aunts before they'd retired for the evening but they hadn't told her much more than she already knew and apart from locking both of her superior officers in a room together they didn't know what else they could do. Shaz had quickly assessed every room in the hotel in the hopes of pulling off such a plan but, even if there had been somewhere suitable, she hadn't been able to think of a way to entice both of them there without their realising her intentions. No, as Alice had told her, it was all up to the Guv and DI Drake now but left to those two the only certainty seemed to be the onset of world war three and she feared that Fenchurch East would never again be a happy place to work; it wasn't as if she could enlist her aunts' babysitting skills on a permanent basis, no matter how agreeable they'd probably be to spending time at the station. Picking up her glass and taking a quick sip, she supposed that she could always transfer out of CID if things continued to decline but she really didn't want to leave. And she really didn't want to give up on the Guv and DI Drake.

Placing her glass back down onto the table she shifted her view to locate the two people who had caused her the most bother today, her eyes falling on the Guv first. He was tucked away in the same corner of the hall where he'd spent most of the evening, nursing the same pint he must've had for the last hour and smoking yet another cigarette. That was pretty much all he'd done since the disco had started, apart from that one time she had caught him glancing up at DI Drake when he'd thought nobody else was looking. His gaze had fixed for far too long on the Inspector, who had at least been making an effort to enjoy herself tonight by dancing a couple of times and mingling with the other guests. And though the Inspector's actions were far more sociable they were ultimately as divisive as the Guv's; DI Drake had spoken, at least in passing, to pretty much everyone present except for the Guv. Some people might have, quite correctly, said that she'd gone out of her way to avoid him. All of which had added to her feeling that her plan, or at least part of it, wasn't going to work out. Her gaze switched to DI Drake just in time to see the other woman heading her way.

"It's been a lovely day, Shaz," DI Drake said and loudly enough to be heard over the music. The Inspector leant forward to kiss her cheek, doing the same to Chris. "You two are going to be very happy together," she added on, a sad sort of smile gracing her lips as she unknowingly echoed Shaz's earlier thoughts.

"Thank you, Ma'am" Shaz answered in unison with her husband.

DI Drake had long since given up trying to persuade the newlyweds to call her Alex, especially today of all days, so the Inspector merely smiled once more at the response before turning away. Shaz watched the Inspector leave, taking all of her, now battered and faded, hopes for some sort of reconciliation between her superior officers with her. When the older woman had disappeared from view, she turned to Chris once more and shared her own sad smile with him though he couldn't possibly know the reason behind it; when his hand reached for hers in comfort she conceded that it didn't really matter as long as he was always there for her - and she was certain that he would be. She was about to suggest that they hit the dance floor once again when, out of the corner of her eye, she noted a quick movement from the Guv's location. As the DCI started to walk in the Inspector's direction, Shaz wondered if all was not as lost as she'd thought.

Waiting until the Guv had left the hall she rose quickly, her attempt to follow only stalled by Chris holding on to her hand and gently pulling her back. When she turned to him once more there was that question in his eyes again, the same one he'd been asking her all day and had never received an answer to. It really wasn't the time to explain anything, yet for a brief moment she wondered if he, unknowingly, had a point; if the Guv was about to do what she hoped then she really should let him have some privacy. On the other hand she couldn't be certain that he was about to do anything of the kind; it was just as likely that another blazing row was on the cards and if that was the case then she was prepared to step in this time. She was prepared to bang their heads together if necessary. It might just be the only thing that would work. Tugging at Chris' hand until he acquiesced and stood up she pulled him discretely across the hall with her to investigate.

With Chris trailing behind her, and their departure pretty much unnoticed by their guests, she made it out into the corridor in time to see the Guv heading up the staircase and she quickened her - and her husband's - pace to catch up. When she came to a stop at the foot of the stairs, peeking around the corner and up the staircase, Chris finally spoke up: "What's-"

She quickly shushed him before he gave their position away and tugged at his hand again to signal that he follow her up the stairs. Her husband's compliance attained once again they edged up the stairs until they were a few steps away from the landing of the first floor and where she'd seen the Guv heading.

"Bols?"

Shaz stopped dead at the sound of the Guv's voice, Chris gently bumping into her from behind. She turned around to face her husband and with the use of one finger and her mouth she indicated to him once more that she wanted him to remain silent. From the tone of his voice the Guv was really going to do this and she wanted to hear every word. Just so she could step in if it all went wrong, of course.

"I'm tired," the Inspector's voice echoed down the corridor, passed over the Guv and made its way towards Shaz and Chris, still audible above the dull throb of the disco that had followed them all. "And today is supposed to be a celebration. Let's not ruin it."

"Bols, wait."

Unable to see anything, though given the Guv's response she presumed that DI Drake had started to walk away, Shaz edged further up the stairs so she could peep around the corner. She could see the back of the Inspector, stood completely still, a few feet ahead of the Guv and the latter's request apparently being obeyed. DI Drake turned around slowly and Shaz wished that she had as good a view of her DCI because all she could see was his back. In the long silence that followed the Guv's order she expected the other woman to give up and start walking away again; she stayed put though, her arms folded across her waist, her gaze boring at the Guv. If Shaz was at all visible, her head peeking out around the corner though low down, then the Inspector was far too engrossed in other things - other people - to notice.

"I er..." the Guv started badly. DI Drake raised her eyebrows in expectation when the sentence went unfinished, prompting him to continue. "I'm sorry."

There was the briefest of wavering in the Inspector's gaze, as if Alice had been right after all and an apology just might be enough, or a good enough start, before it evened out again. "You're sorry? What for exactly?" DI Drake asked but didn't wait for an answer to her question as she took a step forward and continued: "For being a heartless selfish bastard?"

Shaz tightened her hand around her husband's; the Inspector's tone was too sharp, and perhaps even too painful, to elicit anything other than a similar reaction from the Guv and then the arguing would begin again. And she'd promised herself that she'd step in, too. It was a disheartening thought but it didn't get chance to take root.

"Is that what you really think of me?" he asked and Shaz was certain that the Guv's shoulders sagged just a little as he spoke - and that her eyebrows had leapt into her hairline.

"How could I possibly think anything else? You certainly haven't given me any reason to," the Inspector replied, her face finally betraying her feelings and Shaz just hoped that the Guv could see it, too. "Where were you, Gene? You told me that you'd always be there if you were needed but you weren't there when I woke up. You didn't even come and visit me."

"I shot you. I almost bloody killed you," the Guv offered in defence. "I was the last person you needed to see."

"You were the only person I needed to see," DI Drake replied quietly, her gaze crumbling further as she made her confession and her words making Shaz's heart ache. She wished then that she'd pushed the Guv more, had tried harder to make him go to the hospital because all of this might have then been avoided. When DCI Hunt failed to respond further to the charge made against him she changed her wish, willing him to do something now, to say something right then - anything, so long as he didn't let the opportunity to fix his relationship with DI Drake slip away again. He ignored the forceful thoughts she was sending his way and remained silent, as if he hadn't expected to hear that at all and had been struck dumb. It was only when the Inspector shook her head sadly, turned around, and started to walk away again that he finally spoke.

"I visited you in the hospital," he said quickly, the words stopping DI Drake in her tracks. "Just after... You were unconscious. Lying there with all these machines around you. And you were so still, so quiet. Like you weren't even there," he explained quietly and the Inspector turned around to face him once more. "I did that to you. And all I can see when I look at you now is you lying in that hospital bed because of me... And it's tearing me apart."

The look on DI Drake's face was enough to convince Shaz that the older woman was as taken aback as she was by the Guv's confession. "It was an accident," the Inspector stated softly. "You don't need to apologise for that."

The Guv nodded his head slightly in understanding. "Then I'm sorry for everything else. For all the things I said to you. For not trusting you. For suspending you. Most of all for not being there when you needed me. I thought you hated me, Alex."

The Inspector smiled briefly and took a step towards the Guv. "I don't hate you, Gene. Maybe I should and sometimes I even want to but I don't. I just..."

"Want it to be like it was before?" he asked, almost hopefully, when DI Drake seemed to hesitate over finishing that thought.

"Something like that," the Inspector smiled, edging that little bit closer towards DCI Hunt until she was no more than an arm's length away. "Gene?" she asked quietly, her proximity to the Guv now hiding DI Drake's face from Shaz's view, "I still need you." That time the Guv didn't hesitate, closing the gap between them in a heartbeat and wrapping his arms around DI Drake as she fell willingly into his embrace.

Shaz felt a smile break across her face at the sight of her superior officers, the warm glow that was accompanying it enough to chase away the dark cloud that had been threatening to ruin her day. It wasn't because her plan had worked - if this had happened spontaneously, though the chances of that had seemed very slim, she'd have been just as happy - but because some things were just meant to be and the Guv and DI Drake, she concluded as the two people in question showed no signs of letting go of each other, were one of those 'things'. She couldn't wait to tell her aunts that their efforts had paid off so spectacularly - if her superior officers weren't currently blocking the way she'd have done it there and then.

"Told you it'd work itself out," Chris whispered into her ear.

She turned around to face him, taking a step down the stairs so she could wrap her arms around him. "You did," she agreed softly, leaning in to kiss him tenderly. Today had, without any doubt, been the best day of her life and the thought of many more to come only intensified the joy that was thrumming through her at that moment. Releasing him she smiled down at her husband, her only thought now being the much anticipated climax to the day. "Let's give them a bit longer before we go to our room."


End file.
